What to Know Before Renting a Car and Driving Overseas

Here’s a driving scenario you never want to experience: It’s 10 p.m. You just arrived in a foreign city, unintelligible traffic signs line the streets, and suddenly you’re scraping the sides of your car in an alley never intended for automobiles as headlights appear in front of you. You’ll now have to back up.

Alleyway traffic jams like this—which I experienced on a recent tour of Sicily—are just one of many types of situations you think you can avoid by being a savvy driver. It’s never that simple. If you’re planning a road trip overseas and want to reduce stress, save time, and avoid fines, you’ll need to follow the crucial steps below. I’m using Italy as a case study, but these tips apply to any foreign country.

Research what type of driver’s license/permit you’ll need

You may need an international driver’s permit. Search the country’s U.S. embassy website for details, or browse the International Drivers Association list of more than 150 countries requiring this documentation. Only one organization processes these requests for U.S. citizens: AAA (the permit is valid for motorcycle licenses, too). Sadly, there is no way to get the international permit or license online or by email; you need to do it in person at a local office. Other countries cannot issue this to you if you’re a U.S. citizen.

Read up on the different kinds of cars you can rent

Compact cars are best for traversing Sicily’s narrow streets. But I needed space for four travelers and all their bags. The intermediate SUV I thought would be the optimal compromise was too small. We pivoted to an Audi station wagon, which was long but not especially wide or tall. We were able to do this because the rental car agency offered options. It is best to research ahead to see what your country’s agency offers and if, for example, you’ll need four-wheel drive for rough, steep rural roads. (Oh, and never leave visible belongings in the car. Doing so might entice thieves.)

Understand what types of insurance are available and how the process works

Most U.S.-based insurance companies (like Geico) do not cover driving abroad unless you’re doing so in Canada or Mexico. Some credit cards, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, offer protection but may not include damage to tires and windshields, even if they cover collision and theft damage. I opted for complete coverage from a third-party company, Rentalcover.com, because it covered everything with a $0 deductible.

When you rent your car, take multiple photos from every angle, documenting scrapes, dents, and irregularities. You do not want to be charged for preexisting damage. When I returned my car after a 12-day adventure, I showed Budget that the scratch they pointed out had existed when I rented the car. Having photo evidence saved me a headache and possible additional incurred costs.

Know the car rental company’s age policies before you show up in person

Some agencies have a minimum age, which could be 18, 21, or 25. Many companies charge extra daily fees for renters under 25. Others won’t allow people over 75 years old to drive. Note: Adding multiple drivers may increase the overall rental cost.

Don’t assume you know everything about fueling up

I was surprised to find that gasolio does not mean “gas” in Italian. It’s diesel fuel. Benzina means “regular gas.” Some gas stations don’t take American credit cards, so keep plenty of local cash in a wallet. Gas pumps may not be open 24/7, and in certain areas, they can be scarce. The general rule is to get gas when your tank falls below half full because you may not see another pump for a long time.

Have a navigation plan using GPS maps, a co-pilot/navigator, and downloaded maps for offline use

It’s tricky to choose the right exit if you don’t have a GPS barking out directions or a navigation assistant sitting virtual shotgun. Your phone may suffice, but remember that you will need a generous international data-roaming plan. That said, Google Maps often gets it wrong. The system frequently misrepresented where I was in Taormina and led us into a vicious loop in Ortigia. Be prepared to ditch the digital instructions and follow street signs instead. One alternative: Download any maps beforehand so you have offline guides when you need them, regardless of connectivity.

Study road signs and keep exact change for tolls

Don’t assume that traffic signs—hieroglyphics of shapes and colors—will be intelligible. In small towns, I kept seeing signs that, to my eyes, suggested “moustache ahead.” The reality: These were speed-bump indicators. I also kept forgetting whether a big “X” meant no parking or no stopping. Big difference. The most common signs you’ll need to know display speed limits, wrong way (no entry), yield, right of way, merging lanes, no passing, and parking. I kept a printout of these signs in my car.

Toll booths may not be as user-friendly as in the United States. Credit cards don’t necessarily work; keep cash on hand at all times, including small change.

Identify limited traffic zones when planning a route and avoid them while driving

A lot of travel destinations have city centers with restricted traffic. In Italy, a big red circle indicates these areas, known as ZTLs (zona a Traffico Limitato), where only locals are allowed to drive. Cameras placed throughout the city capture transgressors and automatically issue tickets that eventually reach you via your rental company. The rules may change based on the time of day or year, and you won’t know you’ve triggered a fine until you’re back in the United States. Real-time driving navigation apps like Waze may recognize traffic zones in some cities, but you can’t count on the apps alone.

Research your destination’s car culture

In Italy, drivers are famous for ignoring nuisances like stop signs, lanes, and speed limits. Drivers often tailgate, even if they don’t mean to unsettle you. Motorcyclists and scooter drivers whiz in and out of lanes, missing your car by inches. Locals employ offensive driving. I communicated with my eyes more often than with my blinkers and took the time to learn about Italy’s honking etiquette. For example, when rounding sharp bends, a quick toot tells cars in the opposite direction that you’re near.

Watch instructional driving videos on YouTube and take Tripiamo’s online courses if you’re visiting a city they cover

You can find many useful tips on YouTube for free, often paired with entertaining first-person storytelling. Unfortunately, you’ll probably have to wade through redundant and needlessly long videos, too. I relied instead on a relatively new company called Tripiamo, which offers excellent, immersive tutorial videos on subjects like roundabouts, parking, and scooters, plus 360-degree “driving tours” that allow you to practice driving on highways and small streets. The courses cost US$39.99 per country and include PDFs with summaries of rules, signs, emergency info, and helpful phrases for driving in France, Italy, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.

Learn key phrases and use the Google Translate app when you need help

You should know how to read and say the following concepts: open, closed, stop, one-way, exit, gas, diesel, parking, left, right, straight, north, south, east, west, parking, directions, toll, and—most important—where is? I used Google Translate to communicate with a pharmacist when my wife needed car-sickness medication and to get directions from a gas station attendant. You can show the Italian translation on-screen on your phone or play the correctly pronounced sound file.

Prepare for the unpreparable

Remember that no matter how careful you are in your planning and execution, you’re going to hit a wall eventually—sometimes literally.